Introduction

• Progeny of a single plant obtained by asexual reproduction is

known as clone. OR A clone is a group of genetically uniform
plants produced from a single plant through asexual
reproduction.
• Phenotypic differences within a clone is due to environment.
• A procedure of selecting superior clones from the mixed
population of asexually propagating crops is called clonal
selection.
• The crops which are propagated asexually or by vegetative
means are known as asexually propagated crops or
vegetatively propagated crops or clonal crops.
 Introduction
• There are some agricultural crops (sugarcane, potato, sweet
potato etc) and horticultural crops (banana, mango, citrus,
apple, pears, peaches litchi etc) that propagated by asexual
means.
• The main reasons of asexual reproduction are as under:

1 Non-flowering species Garlic, ginger, turmeric, betel and yam

2 Low seed setting species Sugarcane, potato, sweet potato etc
3 Normal flowering and Mango, citrus, apple, pears, peaches
seed setting species litchi and many ornamental plants.
•These are highly heterozygous and
vegetative propagation is essential to
maintain heterozygous balance.
4 Apomictic species Many fruit crops exhibit apomixis.
 Main Features of Clones
1. Homogeneous constitution: The progeny of a clone is
genetically identical. i.e all the plants of single clone have
similar genetic constitution. Thus, clones are homogeneous.
There is no genetic variation within a clone. The variation is
only environmental. Hence selection is not effective within a
clone.
2. Heterozygosity: The asexually propagated crops are
heterozygous and hence clone is also heterozygous but
progeny of a clone looks similar phenotypically. If a clone is
subjected to inbreeding, it will produce various types of
segregants and exhibit high inbreeding depression.
3. Vigorous growth: Clones have hybrid vigour which is
conserved due to asexual reproduction. Most of the varieties of
sugarcane and potato are hybrids. In other words, clonal
selection is useful in conserving heterosis for a long period as
clones are stable and are not prone to segregation.
 Main Features of Clones
4. Wider adaptation: Clones are more adaptable to
environmental variation due to high level of heterozygosity
than purelines. A deliberate mixture of genetically different but
phenotypically similar clones give better yield in variable
environments than a single clone and also provides better
protection from infestation of diseases.
5. Source of variation: There are three sources of variation
in a clone viz., bud mutation, mechanical mixture and
occasional sexual reproduction. The frequency of bud mutation
is very low. But once bud mutation occurs, it will lead to
deterioration of a clone by adding new variants in the
population. Viral and bacterial diseases also lead to
deterioration of a clonal variety.
6. Segregation in F1: When hybridization is done between
different clones, segregation occurs in F1 generation. Each F1
plant is potentially a new variety. Therefore, selection is
 Characteristics of a clone
1. Obtained through asexual reproduction.
2. Genotype maintained indefinitely
without variation.
3. Phenotypic variation is only due to
environment.
 Genetic variations in clones
1. Bud Mutation:
 Somatic mutations also known as bud mutation
 Only dominant mutations would be expressed in the
somatic tissues because of heterozygous conditions.
 Recessive mutants are expressed only in homozygous
conditions.
2. Mechanical mixture:
 Mechanical mixture produces genetic variations within a
clone.
3. Sexual reproduction
 Seedlings genotypically different due to segregation.
 Clonal degeneration
OR
Clonal Deterioration
• Loss in vigour and productivity of clones over time
is known as clonal degeneration.
• Degeneration is inherent.
• Clonal degeneration may result from mutation and
viral and bacterial diseases.
• Clone sometimes become extinct due to its
susceptibility to diseases or insect pests.
 Clonal selection
 The phenotypic value of a plant or clone is
due to the effects of its genotype (G), the
environment (E) and the genotype x
environment (G x E) interaction.
 Of these, only the G effects are heritable and,
therefore, stable. The environmental and
interaction effects are non heritable and
cannot be selected for.
 Therefore, a selection for quantitative
characters based on the observations on single
plants is highly unreliable.
 In fact, plants selected in this way may be no
better than a random sample.
 Clonal selection
 Further, a selection for characters like yield
etc. on the basis of unreplicated clonal plots
would often be misleading and unreliable.
 Therefore, the value of a clone can be reliable
estimated only through replicated yield
trials.
 Selection for highly heritable characteristics,
such as, plant height, days to flowering,
colour, disease resistance etc., are easy and
effective even on the basis of individual
plants or single plots.
 These situations are the same as those in the
case of sexually reproducing crops.
 PROCEDURE FOR CLONAL SELECTION
- - - - - - - - -
- Few to several hundred superior plants selected
First - - - - - - - - -
year -
- - - - - - - - - 1) Clones from the selected plants grown
Mixture
- of clones
separately.
- - - - - - - - -
Second - 2) Desirable clone selected.
year Clones from selected
plants 1) Preliminary yield trial with standard checks
Third 2) Selection for quality, disease resistant etc.
year 3) Few out standing clones selected.
Preliminary yield trial

Fourth 1) Multiplication yield trials with standard checks.

to 2) Best clone identified for release as a new
sixth Multilocation yield variety.
years trials
1 The best clone released as a new variety
- - - - - - - - - -
Seventh - - - - - - - - - - 2) Seed multiplication for distribution begins.
- - - - - - - - - -
year - - - - - - - - - - Seed multiplication
Fig. 1 a generalized scheme for clonal selection in asexually propagated species. This
figure applies to a crop in which one generation does not take more than one year.
Merits of clonal selection

1. It is the only method of selection applicable

to clonal crops. It avoids inbreeding
depression, and preserves the gene
combinations present in the clones.
2. Clonal selection, without any substantial
modification, can be combined with
hybridization to generate the variability
necessary for selection.
3. The selection scheme is useful in
maintaining the purity of clones.
 Demerits of clonal selection

1. This selection method utilizes the natural

variability already present in the
population; clonal selection cannot create
new variability.
2. Sexual reproduction is a prerequisite for
the creation of variability through
hybridization.
3. Varieties developed by clonal selection
are highly prone to new races of a
disease.
 Hybridization between clones
• Clonal crops are cross-pollinated and they may
show self incompatibility.
• Selection among F1 families
 Large number of crosses to be made to ensure some
would produce outstanding progenies.
 Evaluation of large number of F1 progenies is
cumbersome.
 Small samples of F1 populations are grown – visual
judging made – inferior ones eliminated.
 Out standing ones grown in a larger scale.

• Selection within F1 families

 Selection procedure similar to clonal selection.
 Hybridization & Selection in asexually
propagated species

I year Hybridize selected clones

II year Plant seedlings derived & select superior plants

III year Evaluate selected clones with suitable checks
Select superior clones

IV year Preliminary yield trial with suitable check & selection of

outstanding clones

V year to IX Multilocation trial with appropriate checks & release

year of superior clones as new varieties

IV year Superior & outstanding clone released as new variety

Large scale multilocation
 Achievements
• In India, clonal selection has been successfully
used for developing new varieties in potato,
sugarcane, banana, citrus and grapes.
1. Potato : Kufri Red, Kufri Safed
2. Mango : Ko 11, Ko 22 and Neelam
3. Banana : Bombay green, Pride monthan and high
gate
• Interspecific hybridization followed by
clonal selection:
1. Sugarcane : Co 541, CoS 510, Co 1148, Co 1158
2. Potato : Kufri Sinduri, Kufri Kuber, Kufri Kundan and
Kufri Chamatkar.